Talvus nods to Solomon, "You have no need to worry there because I'll be coming with you." The minotaur is met with conflicted rumbling - awe-struck youth staring at an inspiring commander against the skeptical elders seeing a leader throw himself away.

//considering Rex's prior association with the Dalenor military, does he know anything about Valen?//

Evelyn shifts awkwardly next to the others trying to subtly hide behind them, uncomfortable with the the amount of attention drawn her way. She nods in agreement with the others, hoping to hurry this along so she may leave the room as quickly as possible.

Of those assembled, Rex recognizes two lords by the crests on their tabards: they are two Alvernian nobility with lands and holdings near the Coldscale forest.

In regards to Valen, he is neither of noble blood or a landed knight. His rise to status came from the ranks of an order of holy protectors and healers known as The Bastion. After witnessing their martial prowess, a Dalenorian leader convinced him to become a warlord. Dalenor's military might has always been somewhat fractured by in-fighting and mercenary endeavours, so Valen found great opportunities in leading campaigns. Above all, Valen has earned the title "Blessed" as much for his ability to escape death as much as his martial fortunes. Rumors circulate that a war god directly protects him in battle.

"Valen you say? I know of him...." Rex shares the tale "....make sure it is known Rex was among those who bested him. That should give them something to think about!"

Elon places his hand on Rex’s shoulder “pride has killed more good men then the sword, my friend.” 

"Thank you Elon! Now I have a name for my sword." Rex pulls the defender, still in its scabbard and holds it before him. "I shall name you 'Pride'."

Elon Let’s out a loud chuckle and gives Rex a hardy smack on the back.

As the room seems to swell a bit with confidence, the tiefling seated next to the prince's place of honor rises, "This is all well and good, Commander, but how do you propose to execute this mission? The war council does not question your methods or results, but we must be privvy to your plans so we may implement ours to compliment the war's victory."

Talvus turns and steps before the assembly, "Counsellor Sallus, Lords and Ladies, I propose this," a squire rushes forward and presents a long baton to the minotaur, "I will move with these adventurers to the northern face of Scalebane Keep where we will infiltrate unseen. The wall stands twenty feet high, and this will be undertaken at night to avoid detection. Once on the wall, we will move to the eastern gate and take it by surprise. At that point, we must raise the gate with all haste and raise a signal for Halfshield's company to advance. If they can make it into the gate, I have no doubt that we'll hold it until the main force arrives just behind us."

The grizzled general opposite Sallus rises as well, "You sound confident of your plan, Talvus. Were it any other in this room, I would require three dozen more for the endeavour or a new plan entirely. You have my blessing and, if I am not too bold or blind, Prince Reinwulf's as well."

(Ok, life got a bit hectic, but we're back in action and ready for some fun!)

Solomon gives a flustered salute with his hand over his heart, “Thank you for your trust, Command Talvus, and lord and ladies. We will not let you down.” 

Meanwhile, Solomon’s inward self is screeching like a banshee.

"Infiltration, I'm not a rogue but i can go unnoticed when I'm needed." Evelyn stands there kinda awkwardly, before she turns away.
"Alright if nothing else is needed I'm going to...um...I'll retire for evening....or something.Uh. Farewell." She walks off.

Talvus gives a nod to the party, "As you should. Tomorrow night we will take Scalebane Keep. Should you need anything, I'll be available."

(Giving a few hours IRL for any discussion/IC dev you'd like.)

Elon retires for night wondering how he got roped into this. As good as it feels to be back out in the field, he would like to get back to his search for his parents. As rag-tag as this group is, they seem to work well together. 

OOC: Could I do an insight check on Evelyn? It seems unlike her to be skittish

Totally up to Evelyn ;)

OOC: Yah he can insight check her.

For the DM only:

Heroic Insight: 11!

Luck! 9!

Luck! 20!

Luck! 6!

Welp...

Deception:12

Evelyn is visibly uncomfortable with people staring at her. Her eyes shift to different people, mouth drawn into a frown, as she looks them over. She doesn't allow anyone to touch her as she walks off alone to retire.

OOC: Interesting... something to note for later

The next day, Talvus summons you once again to his campaign tent for the final plan. Before you is a rough sketch of Scalebane Keep, though many fine details such as common building are lacking. A few details do stand out, though: gatehouses posted at each compass heading, a few churches, a central keep, and major roadways which stretch from each gate to a circular road around the keep.

"The keep was designed for quick deployment, so there are major accesses in and out of every gate straight from the keep's barracks. We'll approach from the north, ahead of the main army." He leans over the table and plants a thick finger on the northern gate, "This is the tricky part. Night will give us cover, but we can expect some sentries. I can assure an easy scaling, but that requires us to reach the wall first." He gives a quick glance to Solomon.

"Once we're up, we rush the east gate, get it open and light a signal to advance. What wasn't mentioned before was my...history with Valen the Blessed. He's a tactical genius and this wouldn't be our first foray. It could very easily be that we're walking into a trap, but we have no other option than to fight through it. That's why I chose to come myself." Talvus seems content enough with the plan, though obvious trepidation from the unknown seem to rest on his mind.

(Feel free to post any questions or concerns. Going to post just ahead of this so we aren't stalling the inevitable.)

Night falls on Dalenor. It feels the same as Alvernia, but the tension of war and anticipation of what's to come creates an phanton chill in the air. Close in the distance stands the dominating form of Scalebane Keep. In your approach, hills dot the area up to the last few-hundred yards. Among you stands the indominable figure of Commander Talvus. A bit to your surprise, he wears only a quilted gambeson and a thick cloak. Held slung over a shoulder, he wields a greatsword befitting his size. It's apparent that he has opted for stealth and speed over heavy arms.